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Welcome to Portocityguide.com! Here you will find an insider's guide to all things Porto -- plus tips on what to visit in the Douro wine region and Northern Portugal more generally. Our goal is to be the most comprehensive, selective, reliable, and independent source of online information on what Porto has to offer! If you enjoy what you find here, you may want to consider subscribing to our RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!

Legend has it that this was the place where J.K. Rowling, who lived in Porto between 1990 and 1993, drafted the first Harry Potter book. (Don’t believe it? Read Sean Smith’s J.K. Rowling: A Biography.)

Majestic (ma-JES-tic) — like Florian in Venice or Le Train Bleu in Paris — is one of the world’s greatest coffeeshops. Its magnificent art deco design remains intact, transporting you back in time. Though it tends to attract lots of tourists, enough locals go there to make it feel real.

Originally named Elite, Majestic opened its doors on December 1921. After initial success but a lack of name recognition, it quickly changed its name to Majestic the following year. Majestic is located in Rua de Sta. Catarina, the main commercial street in downtown Porto. Like Guarany (which now belongs to the same owners) in the 1930s, Majestic was the center of Porto’s life in the roaring twenties. From the first day, Majestic’s ornate design — by architect Joao Queiroz — attracted intellectuals, politicians, artists, and businessmen. With time, Majestic developed a clientele of writers, and several important figures of Portuguese twentieth-century literature were regulars there. After a period of decay, Majestic closed in 1964.

It only opened again in 1994, after an 11-year gut rehab that restored it to its original condition. The main room walls are covered in green Indian marble, also used in the decorative pillars with gilded Corinthian capitals. The ornate pink and cream plastered ceilings were totally reconditioned. The original crystal mirrors from Antwerp were kept, as were the crystal chandeliers, the marble-top tables, and the leather-cushioned chairs and couches with marble incrustations. The old European design wall-lamps illuminate sculptured cherubs smiling down on the patrons. The basement, which once lodged pool tables, now features art exhibitions. A lovely winter garden in the back provides additional opportunities for relaxation if you tire of the people-watching in the main room. The piano is often playing early twentieth century compositions adding to the belle epoque feel of the place.

Most people go to Majestic for a coffee or tea. Breakfast is a good option, with Portuguese-style (chewy rather than puff-like) croissants, natural juices, etc. Another option is a midday stop for a drink and a Portuguese dessert, like rabanadas (a more elaborate French-toast style sweet typical for Christmas) or ovos moles (literally soft eggs, a paste made of sugar and egg yolks, with a little port to provide extra aroma). But we recommend going to Majestic for lunch. They have several good option, such as the bacalhau a moda do Porto (codfish Porto’s way, breaded and fried in olive oil and garlic, served over creamed spinach with a sauce made with eggs with a bit of the olive oil where the fish fried), or a perfumed duck magret. Their francesinha (a hot sandwich you can only find in Porto, filled with encased meats, a bit of steak, covered with melted cheese, and with a tomato-and-beer based hot sauce poured on top), though not the best in town is pretty darn good. The wine list includes great Portuguese wines, especially from the Douro region. The port selection is also very good.

Service is professional and courteous.

Price point: coffee and other drinks 1.5 euros and up; lunch and other light meals between 12 and 20 euros.

Address: Rua Sta. Catarina 112, Porto.

Website: http://www.cafemajestic.com/

Opening hours: open daily from 9:30am till 12:00am.

Reservations: not needed; call (+351) 22.200.3887.

Getting there: you can easily walk to Majestic from downtown Porto. If you are at the bottom of Praca da Liberdade / Avenida dos Aliados (the two together form the large square in front of City Hall) facing City Hall, with Clerigos tower to your left, turn right and go up Rua 31 de Janeiro, until Praca da Batalha (it’s a steep street, and you can see a blue-tiled church at the top). When you get there, turn left to Rua de Sta. Catarina. Majestic is on the second block on your right side, just past Rua Passos Manuel. There’s no point in driving there, as the street is pedestrians-only. There are plenty of paid parking lots in the vicinity.

For a wonderful Quicktime VR panoramic image of Majestic, click on the image at the top of this review. The link will take you to 360 Portugal, a comprehensive archive of panoramic images of Portugal. As always, many thanks to Santiago Ribas, the man behind the camera.

Founded in 1933, Guarany (gua-RA-nee) was part of the boom in downtown coffeeshops Porto experienced in the 1930s. These featured a modernist decor, contrasting with the art-deco style of the previous decade’s coffeeshops, of which Majestic is the flagship. To put it simply, Guarany is the prettiest coffeeshop on the prettiest square in town — the Avenida dos Aliados, Porto’sliving room , where the City Hall is.

Guarany is the name of the largest Indian tribe in seventeenth-century Brazil and the coffeeshop has since its opening featured a marble high-relief of an Indian by sculptor Rogerio de Azevedo. Brazil was the producer of most of the coffee that reaches Portugal, so the name was aptly chosen.

Guarany attracted artists, business people, and active oppositionist politicians during the dictatorship years (1928-1974), and was for a long time known as “the musicians’ coffeeshop.” Just like the Russians developed kitchen politics during the Soviet era, discussing all things political around the kitchen table, the Portuguese developed coffeeshop politics during the Salazar era, spending lots of time discussing the state of the nation at coffeeshops such as Guarany. After the 1974 revolution, Guarany went through a period of decay until it was bought by the owner of the preciously-maintained Majestic and completely restored. The finest craftsmen available were hired to restore the ceiling and wall-lamps, tables with marble tops and and wooden chairs, as well as iron and copper ornaments. Since its reopening in 2003, Guarany has again become one of the hubs of Porto’s coffeeshop life.

Its corner location helps make Guarany one of the most pleasant coffeeshops in downtown Porto in terms of enjoying the view and doing some people-watching. The decor was restored to the original 1930s look, plus two large colorful canvases titles “The Lords of Amazonia” by Portuguese painter Graca Morais were added to the walls. Porto residents have enthusiastically backed the re-opened Guarany, and the place is usually packed. The ambiance is lively with a noisy crowd, especially in the evenings. Live piano music is often playing.

Besides all sorts of coffee- and tea-based drinks (nothing fancy, this is no Starbucks; they serve good old-fashioned cafe au lait instead), the drink menu includes several good wines. The food menu includes several international cuisine dishes, such as grilled bass Baron Brise, shrimp Stroganoff, duck magret with port wine, and a good Guarany steak. But the highlights are the Portuguese cuisine specimens — such as veal steak a Mirandesa (a village in inner Northern Portugal) and above all platters with codfish fritters or presunto (Portuguese for prosciutto), served with olives and broa de Avintes (a very thick rye bread typical from the near-by village of Avintes). We know of no better place to sample these jewels of Portuguese food while taking the pulse of Porto.

Service is professional and courteous.

Price point: coffee and other drinks 1.5 euros and up; lunch and other light meals between 12 and 20 euros.

Address: Avenida dos Aliados 85-89, Porto.

Website: http://www.cafeguarany.com/

Opening hours: open daily from 9:00am till 12:00am.

Reservations: not needed; call (+351) 22.332.1272.

Getting there: Guarany is in the heart of downtown Porto. If you are at the bottom of Praca da Liberdade / Avenida dos Aliados (the two together form the large square in front of City Hall) facing City Hall, Guarany is on your left, mid-way through to the top of the square, on the corner with Rua the Ceuta.

Triplex (TREE-plex) is a bar / restaurant combo. The bar is one of the best in town. The restaurant, if not one of the best, is pretty good too, and has a hip ambiance for dinner. Owner Jose Carlos Tinoco (also of Labirintho, a close-by bar catering to an older crowd) did an excellent job of converting this townhouse into one of the best bars in town, with rooms for different moods and a great garden.

Triplex is located in the heart of the Boavista neighborhood, just one block from Casa da Musica. It occupies an early twentieth century townhouse, with the restaurant on the second floor, and the bar (with a stand-up section and a lounge with sofas) on the first floor. There is also a porch on each level and a relatively large garden that fills up in the summer. The bar is popular after 10:00pm and stays open at least until 2:00am. On the weekends, you can count on a crowded house till at least 4:00am. The stand-up section sometimes bursts spontaneously into a dance floor. They have guest DJs almost every day, playing consistenly good lounge and club music. The crowd consists in sophisticated college students, young professionals, and a lively mix of out-of-towners and insiders. Plenty of opportunities to meet new people.

The restaurant is decorated in simple, clear tones and serves good food in a lively ambiance — many patrons go downstairs to the bar once they finish dinner around midnight or so. Dinner entrees are between 12 and 20 euros. There are also less pricey options for lunch. We wouldn’t say Triplex is one of the ten best restaurants in Porto. But it is certainly good enough to deserve a visit if you’re going to an early concert at Casa da Musica or if you feel like sliding to the bar afterwards. The food is enjoyable and so is the environment.

Appetizers include skewered prawns with mushrooms and herb butter, clams with garlic and herbs, several quiches, and salads. There also a good curry fish soup and a traditional Southern Portuguese soup (sopa alentejana), which features bread slices, olive oil, garlic, coriander, and a poached egg. Fish plates include a good bread soup (acorda) with shrimp, several grilled fishes, monkfish and smoked salmon in puffed pastry with mango, and two staples of Portuguese cuisine — baked codfish with bread and olive oil; and cod fritters with a runny rice with tomato. The meat section features several steaks (au poivre, with cheese, etc.); grilled wild boar loin with mustard ice cream, asparagus, spinach, and gratin potato; and partridge in puff pastry. The chef prepares all of these competently. There are also a few good vegetarian options, such as omelets and pastas. Dessert selection changes daily and is consistently good. The wine list includes many solid values among Portuguese wines. Service is OK.

Price point: drinks at the bar 3 euros and up; lunch around 10 euros; dinner around 25 euros plus drinks.

Address: Avenida da Boavista 911, Porto.

Website: http://www.triplex.com.pt/

Opening hours: restaurant open Monday through Saturday for lunch (12:00-3:00pm) and dinner (8:00-11:30pm); bar open Monday through Thursday 9:00pm-2:00am; Friday and Saturday 9:00pm-4:00am.

Reservations: recommended for dinner; call (+351) 91.494.3039.

Getting there: if you’re driving from downtown, follow the directions to Boavista. Once you get to the Boavista roundabout (known informally as Rotunda da Boavista and formally as Praca Mouzinho de Albuquerque — you can’t miss it; there is a tall column on the center, with a lion crushing an eagle at the top), take Av. da Boavista heading down to the sea (Casa da Musica, an unmistakable building shaped like a quartz crystal, is on the corner). Triplex is right after the first traffic lights, on your left. It is a townhouse next to the Goethe Institute. Street-side parking relatively easy at night, impossible during the day. Several paid parking lots in the vicinity. If you’re not driving, a taxi should take 20-30 minutes from downtown.

The Solar do Vinho do Porto (So-LAR doo VEE-gno doo POR-too) is — on a par with Vinologia — one of our favorite places to enjoy port wine. It is a comfortable bar operated by the Instituto dos Vinhos do Douro e do Porto (Port and Douro wines Institute), the state agency that regulates the port wine industry. This means two things. First, on the upside, it is one of the very few places where service is both deeply knowledgeable on port and absolutely unbiased about which producers are best. Second, on the downside, it is not an “in” place; rather a quiet, old-fashioned wine bar where you focus on the wine. We think the pros more than compensate for the cons. Besides, the bar is installed right next to the Museum of Romanticism, in a lovely XIX century mansion perched on a slope overlooking the river — and there is outdoors seating when the weather is nice.

The Solar do Vinho do Porto has the widest and most consistently good selection of port available in town. Moreover, it has excellent selection for all price points, from no-frills tawnies and rubies to four-digit vintages and colheitas. Since it attracts many people willing to try out port and know a bit more about it, there’s always a good number of vintages and LBVs waiting to be poured any given day (these wines have to be consumed within a few days of opening the bottle, so that most places don’t have many choices at any given time).

The staff consists on the most knowledgeable port sommeliers you will ever find. These are the same people that judge wines in the mandatory blind tastings by an official state-appointed panel that precedes any decision on the part of producers to decide what to label (and how much to price) their port wine.

If you didn’t know, it’s not up to the producers to decide, for instance, what gets labeled a vintage, or an LBV (late bottled vintage), or a 10-year old blend. Producers submit to the Institute samples prepared by their in-house wine makers. The Institute organizes a blind tasting of those samples by a panel of experts and, based on the panel’s recommendation, issues a binding decision on whether the producer can indeed turn the wine in question into, say, a vintage, or whether it must settle for the less prestigious LBV label.

Contrary to what happens in the port wine cellars across the river (and in wineries around the world), the sommeliers here have no vested interest in pushing any particular brand on you. In fact, they have themselves selected the wines on offer at the Solar do Vinho do Porto. The process works as follows. Every year, port wine producers are invited to submit up to five wines for consideration to the Institute. These are tasted blindly, according to each category (ruby, tawny, 10-year old, 20-year old, 40-year old, LBV, vintage, colheita, etc.) and divided into price ranges. The tasting panel then selects up to three wines from each brand to sell at the Solar do Vinho do Porto. They are offered by the glass and also for sale, so you can satisfy your wine-shopping needs here too.

Besides port wine, the Solar do Vinho do Porto has very little on offer — as it should be. There is mineral water, a few options for kids, crackers to cleanse the palate between tastings, and an excellent Serra da Estrela, the king of Portuguese cheeses, served in two varieties — hard and soft.

The decor is a bit dated, but everything from the lighting to the sofas is very comfortable. The small garden is delightful and the view is excellent, extending from the port wine cellars to the river mouth.

Whenever we have foreign friends in town and want to introduce them to port wine, we head to the Solar do Vinho do Porto after dinner and ask the somellier to pick a good choice for one of each of the following: a ruby, an LBV, and a vintage (all wines aged in the bottle); plus a tawny, a 10-year old, a 20-year old, a 40-year old, and a good colheita, like a Krohn from the fifties or sixties, when they had were several good years (all wines aged in wooden casks). We place all he glasses on the table in two rows — ruby-type and tawny-type wines. Then we start with the least expensive ruby and pass the glass around, working our way up to the vintage. We pause for a bit and do the same with the tawny flight, workng our way up to the colheita. Then, if you want to punish yourself a bit, ask for a second glass of the cheaper wines and see how they suddenly seem much worse than they did before you tried out the better wines.

Price point: port wines by the glass 3 euros and up; 10 euros and up by the bottle.

Address: Quinta da Macieirinha - Rua de Entre Quintas 220, Porto.

Website: http://www.ivp.pt/

Opening hours: Monday through Thursday, 2:00pm to 8:00pm; Friday and Saturday, 2:00pm to midnight. Closed on Sundays and public holidays.

Reservations: not needed; call (+351) 22.609.4749.

Getting there: getting to the Solar do Vinho do Porto is tricky by car; getting back after a few glasses of port is even trickier, so we strongly recommend taking a taxi there. The staff will be glad to call a taxi for you on your way out — or you can climb the very steep street as a way of working all that port out of your system. Note that although there are signs point toward the Solar on the main streets, the way there is through narrow winding streets more appropriate for medieval ox carts than to twenty-first century highway drivers. If, however, you insist on driving, it should be easy to park the car right outside the Solar. From downtown Porto, go up Rua de Ceuta. Enter the tunnel, from which you will exit on the last exit, towards Rua D. Manuel II. Follow the street until you see a large gated garden on your left. Continue going down slowly, trying to get to the left lane. As the street ends you’ll see a bowl-upside-down shaped building on your left, inside the gated garden (it is the Palacio de Cristal, an exhibition center). Most of the traffic will turn right at the end of the street. Don’t follow them. Stop on the traffic light on the center of the street — your left lane — and when possible start going down the narrow cobbled stone street that is very slightly to your left — Rua de Vilar. Once in Rua de Vilar (cobbled stone), turn on the first street that will appear to your left. This is the very narrow Rua de Entre Quintas and after a few turns it starts going steeply down the slope. Just follow the street to the end — it has no way out. It literally ends at the gate of the Museum of Romanticism, through which you gain access to the Solar. Go through the gates and park right there. The Solar is to your left when you are facing the Museum house. If you’re not driving, a taxi should take 15 minutes from downtown.

Recently opened (2005), the Eurostars das Artes Porto (Eurostars DASH Ar-TESH), is an excellent mid-priced option for stays in Porto. It is comfortable, charming, well-located, and provides excellent service.

Eurostars das Artes Porto is located in the heart of the gallery district (thus the name “das Artes”). This is a relatively low-key part of town, but is safe and quiet at night. It is also within walking distance (15-20 minutes) of the downtown area. (The way back is uphill, so you may want to take a taxi, but you can certainly enjoy the morning walk from the hotel, which is downhill.) It is also relatively close to the Boavista neighborhood.

The nineteenth century building has been totally refurbished. They did an excellent job on the gut-rehab, maintaining charming old elements but updating all the creature comforts. Decor is sober — no boutique design interior architecture here. Rooms are standard size for a four-star, and most have large windows. Comfortable beds and sleek, well-equipped bathrooms.

The staff is very friendly and efficient — typical of the Eurostars chain service standards. The breakfast buffet will not disappoint; it is well worth the extra cost.

Overall, Eurostars das Artes Porto is an excellent option for the budget-conscious traveler. It is close to all the major sightseeing destinations, provides you with a comfortable stay, and even throws in a bit of charm. Quite a good deal for half the price of the top hotels in town.

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Price point: from 80 euros for a double room.

Address: Rua do Rosario 160, Porto.

Website: http://www.eurostarshotels.com/

Reservations: call (+351) 22.207.1250.

Getting there: getting to Eurostars das Artes Porto is tricky by car; we recommend using taxis if you’re going to stay there. If, however, you insist on driving, the hotel has private parking. From downtown Porto, go up Rua de Ceuta. Do not enter the tunnel. Continue going up. At the top, turn left on Rua Jose Falcao. Take a right on Praca dos Leoes, stay straight, pass a church (Igreja do Carmo) on your right and go to the large granite building at the end of the square — the Sto. Antonio hospital. Turn right and go slightly down. Go around the park on your left — Jardim do Carregal. As you start going up, take a right on the first narrow street. This will lead you to Rua do Rosario (one block away). Take a right, and stay straight on Rua do Rosario until you reach the hotel, which is just a few blocks down the street, on your right. If you’re not driving, a taxi should take 5-10 minutes from downtown.

The new (2003) Sheraton Porto hotel is an excellent choice for your stay in town. Personally, we prefer the more charming Porto Pestana Carlton, but there are several reasons to consider the Sheraton Porto option seriously. First, it is very conveniently located, close to the highways for day-trips, to the Casa da Musica for concerts, to the Casa de Serralves contemporary art museum, and to the Foz and the sea. Second, it is a top-notch contemporary hotel with all the amenities and convenience that means — world-class spa, spacious rooms with stylish furniture, several restaurants and bars. Third, although the neighborhood is rather boring, that has its upsides, such as no noise in the evenings — which may be something to consider in comparison with the Carlton’s lively surroundings. Lastly, the Carlton, being rather smaller, is often booked. Overall, we’d recommend staying at the Carlton as a first choice for those without a budget restraint. The Sheraton Porto, however, will not disappoint as a safe second choice.

Sheraton Porto occupies an interesting glass-and-metal building twelve storys tall in the heart of the Boavista neighborhood. Boavista is often described as the business district, but it’s actually more a mix of middle-class residential area with offices, and some restaurants and bars. Don’t expect a lively district, bustling with crackberry addicts. Although pleasant, there is not much to do right around the hotel. You can walk half a mile to Casa da Musica for a concert, or one mile to Casa de Serralves, the national contemporary-art museum designed by architect Alvaro Siza. But there is not much more you can do within walking distance.

The building offers all the comforts and amenities you expect of a luxury hotel in a European cirty. The architecture emphasizes transparency and the whole hotel is filled with light.

Each of the 266 rooms and suites is decorated in chocolate and maroon tones, with velvet sofas and leather headboards. Each room features the flat-panel tv sets and on-demand music systems that are now de rigueur . Sleek bathroom with plush bathrobes and toiletries. Plenty of meeting rooms if you come in business. Beds are superb — we challenge you to find a more comfortable bed anywhere.

The spa is exceptionally good, and there are a couple of restaurants and bars that serve good, though slightly pricey, fare. There is also a juice bar for the vitamin addict in you. The breakfast buffet is excellent and is usually included in the room rate.

Overall, Sheraton Porto is an excellent value and guarantees you a comfortable stay in Porto, with, as the song goes, “no alarms and no surprises”. Though not as memorable as the Porto Pestana Carlton, the Sheraton Porto tries to make up in style and modernity what it lacks in uniqueness and character. A close second and a good all-rounder.

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Price point: from 150 euros for a double room.

Address: Rua Tenente Valadim 146, Porto.

Website: http://www.sheratonporto.com/

Reservations: call (+351) 22.040.4000.

Getting there: Sheraton has an excellent location for those who want to drive in and around Porto. It is two minutes away from the main North-South highway (A1), as well as close to Av. da Boavista, one of the main arteries of Porto, connecting Boavista to Foz and the sea. If you’re driving from downtown, follow the directions to Boavista. Once you get to the Boavista roundabout (known informally as Rotunda da Boavista and formally as Praca Mouzinho de Albuquerque — you can’t miss it; there is a tall column on the center, with a lion crushing an eagle at the top), take Av. da Boavista heading down to the sea (Casa da Musica, an unmistakable building shaped like a quartz crystal, is on the corner). Turn right on the fourth traffic lights to Rua Pedro Hispano, then immediately left to Rua Tenente Valadim. The hotel is 100 yards from Av. da Boavista. There are signs with directions on all major junctures as you’re approaching. If you’re not driving, a taxi should take 30 minutes from the airport; 20-30 minutes from downtown.

Portucale (Por-too-KAH-le) is not a restaurant. It is an institution. For decades, this has been the most consistently acclaimed haute cuisine place in town. It is not fashionable. It is not hip. It is only consistently good, which is fine by us. Jose Quiterio, the most respected Portuguese food critic, calls it the “gastronomic cathedral of Northern Portugal.”

Portucale opened in 1969 under the guidance of owner Ernesto de Azevedo. Since then, it has only changed its chef twice. The decor oozes 1960s charm — maroon leather, lots of wood, wallpaper, plush wall-to-wall carpeting, orange-hued tiles, etc. There are also beautiful tapestries by Portuguese artist Guilherme Camarinha. You’ll either love it or hate it. The restaurant occupies the thirteenth floor on a hill next to the heart of Porto. It has a commanding view of the city, particularly at night. The tables are set with the finest Portuguese porcelain and silverware. There is a cozy corner bar for an aperitif.

Food at Portucale is, to use Frommer’s summary, “superb.” Among the amuse gueule we recommend the bolinhos de bacalhau (ball-shaped salted dry cod fritters) and the cabeca de xara (a pork-based jelly typical from Southern Portugal). Appetizers include a canonical French onion soup, prawns au gratin, an endive salad with roquefort dressing, salmon crepes, foie gras with truffles in puff pastry, and wild mushrooms with garlic. Fish courses feature a terrific Walewska sole from traditional French cuisine, prepared with champagne, lobster, shellfish, grated cheese, and truffles; sea bass with tartar sauce; a bacalhau a marinheiro (salted dry cod sailors’ way); and the outstanding bacalhau a Ze do Pipo (salted dry cod with clams and rapini). The cabrito estufado a serrana (kid ragout as is prepared in the Portuguese highlands, after a long red-wine based marinade) is also excellent, as is the wild boar in red wine sauce. During hunting season, the partridge stuffed with chestnuts is an excellent example of traditional Portuguese fine cuisine. Portucale is also known for its tripas a moda do Porto, the flagship of Porto’s culinary tradition (a bean stew similar to a cassoulet, featuring different kinds of smoked sausage besides the tripe after which the dish is named).

Portucale also has an excellent cheese menu, with most of the best Portuguese cheeses. It usually includes the king of Portuguese cheeses — Serra da Estrela (SEH-rah dah Esh-TREH-lah) — in both its soft and hard versions.

The dessert menu focuses on traditional Portuguese docaria conventual (literally “conventual sweets,” exceptionally good, egg-yolk intensive pastries created by nuns, often members of silent orders like the Carmelitas Descalcas) featuring papos de anjo (angels’ chests), barrigas de freira (nuns’ bellies), sopa dourada (golden soup), chilada conventual (a preserved pumpkin that is a terrific counterpart to the egg yolks), and our favorite, toucinho do ceu (heaven’s bacon, a concoction of yolks, sugar, almonds, and chila).

The wine menu includes most of the top selections from the Douro region, and many from beyond. Around eighty reds, sixty whites (of which around twenty vinho verde — the slightly sparkling white wine that includes the alvarinho / albarino grapes).

Service is graciously polite.

Price point: around 40 euros plus drinks.

Address: Rua da Alegria 598, Porto.

Website: unavailable.

Opening hours: open daily for lunch (12:00-3:00pm) and dinner (7:00pm-11:00pm).

Reservations: required; call (+351) 22.537.0717.

Getting there: relatively simple by car. If you are driving from downtown Oporto, take a right on Rua Formosa next to the City Hall. After a few blocks, turn left on rua D. Joao IV. Drive uphill for a few more blocks. When you see a small garden on your left, Rua D. Joao IV merges with Rua da alegria. You will see a tall building on your right a few meters ahead. Portucale is on the top floor of that building, which also lodges the Albergaria Miradouro, a comfortable hotel, so look for the sign. There is a parking lot around the building. If you’re not driving, take a taxi (15 minutes).

A Mesa com Bacchus (AH ME-zah komm BAK-hoos) means “at the table with Bacchus,” and that is what you get in chef-owner Mario da Fonte’s restaurant and tavern. This is a tiny place, with seating for 14 people. There is no menu — you just eat whatever Mario has prepared that day. (If you have any special dietary requirements, let him know when you call to make the reservation.) The A Mesa com Bacchus experience consists in a 9-10 course meal with a taste of a few olive oil samples and half a dozen carefully chosen wines (mostly from the Douro region) to go with it. Expect to spend between three and five (!) hours there.

A Mesa com Bacchus is located on the Miragaia neighborhood (made mostly of medieval houses inhabited by local fishermen), in a crooked street very close to the river. The dining room is soberly decorated, keeping the stone walls in sight. The table setting is also excellent.

Mario is a friendly host, and makes you feel like you’re having dinner at a good friend’s place. Don’t be intimidated if he asks your name when you arrive and starts calling you “my good friend” after 10 minutes. This is the restaurant where top Port wine makers bring the most renowned international wine critics for dinner whenever they visit to sample new wines.

A recent visit started with chilled white wine and grapes. Mario invited us to taste the wine before and after having a grape, comparing the nuances between sweet and sour. Then he offered us several olive-oil tastes with fleur de sel, and later quizzed us on which olive oil was used in one particular dish. The menu also included fried corn bread (broa), herb-seasoned requeijao (a Portuguese version of ricotta, not to be mixed up with Brazilian requeijao, which is much more liquid), grilled squid with garlic and toasted almonds, a salad with bacalhau (dried salted cod) marinated with bell peppers, and a bacalhau risotto with fresh oregano. As a popular party had started outside during our meal, Mario offered us white port glasses and encouraged us to join the partying locals while we waited for the next course — an ice cream with balsamic vinegar.

Mario is also the resident DJ in his one-man operation, and he has an ear for good lounge music.

If you like interaction with the chef, A Mesa com Bacchus is destined to be a memorable experience. If you rather be left on your own, Mario will probably pick it up soon enough and become self-effacing — but that would be missing the point of his tavern…

Overall, A Mesa com Bacchus is a unique experience, with wonderful food, olive oil, and Portuguese wine, delivered by Mario da Fonte in a ritual filled with detail and humor.

Price point: around 45 euros plus drinks.

Address: Rua de Miragaia 127, Porto.

Website: unavailable.

Opening hours: open for dinner only, Monday to Saturday (8:00pm-1:00am).

Reservations: required; call (+351) 22.200.0896 or (+351) 91.455.3823.

Getting there: difficult parking nearby; taxi recommended. If you are driving from downtown Oporto, the easiest way of getting there is to take Rua Mouzinho da Silveira down to Praca do Infante, turn right and start following the river on your left. After about 1/2 mile, you will see a large stone building on your left, just on the riverfront. It’s the “New” customs building, from the XIX century. The restaurant is in the little plaza across the street from that building. You can park there if there are spots (rare). The other option is to park on the riverfront parking you’ll find on your way from Praca do Infante there. The 1/3 mile walk is very pleasant in good weather. If you’re not driving, take a taxi (15 minutes).

Foz Velha (Fosh VEH-lla) is named after the neighborhood in which it is located. Foz is Portuguese for the place where the river meets the sea. Velha means old. The restaurant is in the heart of the old Foz neighborhood, where the wealthier classes in Porto would summer till the mid-XX century. Before then, Porto (or what is now downtown Porto) was disconnected from Foz, with a few miles of countryside landscape in between. The upper classes would have a second house here and the working classes would take a tram or walk there for a daytrip. It’a a lovely neighborhood.

The restaurant occupies a turn of the (XIX-XX) century house meticulously refurbished and updated. Foz Velha’s atmosphere is elegant, with a decor in tones of blue, lilac, and red. Great light, and an excellent view of the ocean nearby — in the summer, with the windows open, the sound of the waves adds to the overall experience. (Unfortunately, a building is growing between the restaurant and the sea, so the view is likely to be soon gone…) There’s a cozy bar for a cocktail or dry Port before dinner.

Chef Marco Gomes runs a tight ship, providing you one of the best fine-dining experiences in town. His style is contemporary Portuguese cuisine. The menu includes two degustation options: Invicta (six courses) and Foz Velha (nine courses). A la carte you can find six appetizers, five fish courses, five meat courses, one vegetarian course, and seven desserts. As an example (the menu is seasonal, so don’t count on getting this), here’s the Foz Velha menu Spring 2007: scallops with potato and chestnut foam and tomato sauce; goat cheese au gratin on olive-oil toast, leek “straw,” and blueberry sauce with dry basil leaves; fresh cod fillet with sauteed potatoes, peppers, shallots, and balsamic vinegar and black olive reduction; tangerine sorbet; Iberian pork loin stuffed with fresh duck foie gras, wild-vegetables sauce and mango puree; sauteed strawberries with coconut foam; hot chocolate muffin with mixed berries ice cream; and peppermint sorbet with aguardente (Portuguese grape brandy).

Their bread rolls are terrific, so you’ll have to refrain yourself from eating too many of these before the food arrives. Our favorite amuse gueule at Foz Velha is the partridge-egg mousse with pineapple jelly, and there’s plenty more to enjoy in the a la carte menu, like the wild boar in Port-wine reduction or a lamb in puff pastry with thyme, wild mushrooms, and foie gras sauce. Among the desserts, we rarely pass on the cheese ice cream with raspberry puree. For those who want to try Portuguese docaria conventual (literally “conventual sweets,” exceptionally good, egg-yolk intensive pastries created by nuns, often members of silent orders like the Carmelitas Descalcas, these delicacies have names like papos de anjo — angels’ chests — or barrigas de freira — nuns’ bellies), there’s an assortment accompanied by a useful lemon sorbet.

The wine list is focused on top choices among Portuguese wines, with around 60 wines, plus twelve brands of Portuguese aguardente (Portuguese for firewater, a distilled drink made from grapes, somewhat similar to grappa).

Service is professional and attentive.

Price point: around 35 euros plus drinks.

Address: Esplanada do Castelo 141, Porto.

Website: http://www.fozvelha.com/

Opening hours: open for lunch Tuesday to Saturday (12:30-3:00pm), and dinner Monday to Saturday (7:30-11:00pm; till 12:00am on Saturday).

Reservations: highly recommended; call (+351) 22.615.4178 or (+351) 91.881.8147.

Getting there: difficult access by car; taxi recommended. If you are driving from downtown Oporto, the easiest way of getting there is to take Rua Mouzinho da Silveira down to Praca do Infante, turn right and follow the river to the sea — Foz. Right where the river meets the sea, you’ll find a long wide cobblestone street with a palm-tree garden on your leftand the sea beyond it further to your left. Keep going and follow the tram tracks. They will take you through a small XV century fortress (on your left) and then you’ll enter a narrow street — Rua N. Sra. da Luz. The restaurant is right there, on the corner of that street and the first steep uphill street on your right. It is easier to park before you enter the narrow street, so just leave your car next to the fortress and walk a couple of minutes to the restaurant. If you’re not driving, take a taxi (30 minutes).

Praia da Luz (PRAH-ya da LUSH) is a place to imbibe the ocean. It is a restaurant, coffeeshop, and bar with both indoor and outdoor seating built on the beach — literally, the structure is built on stilts dug deep in the sand. The outdoor section is heated in the winter (and so is the indoors, by a lovely fireplace) and there are plenty of blankets to go with a hot chocolate and a book. Since it’s facing West, it is perfect for viewing the sunset. But it is an excellent place around the clock. Go there for breakfast croissants, have a light (or not so light) lunch, a full dinner, or drinks in the afternoon or in the evening. It stays open till 3:00am, with a DJ and, sometimes, a dance floor. The clientele changes with the time, but is always hip and mostly quiet during the day. Music is quiet during the day and groovy in the evenings.

The building is a light metal and glass slab that fits well with the scenery. Contemporary decor in light pastel colors, enabling you to focus on what matters — the view. The open ocean during the day and the well-lit rocks and sand with the dark ocean as a background in the evening. Here’s what Porto nightlife Guide has to say about it:

“It’s more than Shakespeare. It’s a midsummer night’s dream and a winter one too. The surprises start on the avenue with white flags fluttering in the sea beeze. The benches on the sidewalk announce the happy event: a magnificent open air restaurant was born in Foz in 1989, but it seems like yesterday. By night the rocks in the beach shine under the spotlights. The white sands are striped by beams of light. My god, how beautiful this is, the most beautiful open air restaurant in the country!”

Though you’ll most likely return for the view, not the food, the menu does not disappoint. There are excellent small grilled padron peppers (a hot delicacy from Galicia, in Northern Spain), a good carpaccio, and carefully prepared shrimp crepes. The fish section includes a great cherne (similar to sea bass, only better) with almonds; salmon with roquefort sauce; bacalhau (salted cod) baked with bread; baked octopus (polvo); a terrific white sea bream (sargo) baked in a salt crust; and a anglerfish (tamboril — one of our editors’ favorite fishes) with a green pepper sauce. You won’t regret trying the beef with dates or the duck magret with honey and spices. Finish your meal with a slice of tatin pie or some ricotta with honey and walnuts.

Service is laid-back, sometimes a bit slow.

Price point: coffee drinks are around 2 euros; lunch around 15 euros; and dinner around 25 euros.

Address: Av. do Brasil, Porto.

Website: http://www.praiadaluz.pt/

Opening hours: open 365 days a year from 9:00am to 3:00am (well, it actually closes a little earlier on Christmas Eve and opens a little later on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day…).

Reservations: suggested for dinner; call (+351) 22.617.3234.

Getting there: easy access by car; otherwise, take a taxi. If your driving from downtown Oporto, the easiest way of getting there is to take Rua Mouzinho da Silveira down to Praca do Infante, turn right and follow the river to the sea — Foz. Continue along the seafront. Praia da Luz is on your left in the beginning of Av. do Brasil, which is the first long straight avenue you’ll find. Parking is usually hard, especially during the weekend and in the summer. All you see from the street level is a small arch that is lit at night and a few white flags fluttering in the breeze. If you park and cross the street to the seaside, you’ll easily spot the coffeeshop. If you’re not driving, take a taxi (30 minutes).